Landscape Architecture

For the first half hour of class, beginners will learn 5 organ & spirit enlivening qigong exercises. After a brief meditative walk, beginners will learn the first of six section of Lao (old) Yang tai chi chuan as taught by Teacher Lu Hung Bin. Remember to wear comfortable loose-fitting clothing & flat comfortable shoes. For more information, call 301-466-5894 or email: info@dancinginsilence.com

Who's available on Tuesday morning for another walk in Rock Creek Park? We'll meet at 9:30 at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center and Planetarium, 5200 Glover Road Northwest Washington, DC. According to the park website, "if the parking there is full you can park at either Picnic Grove #13 (located at the split for Ridge and Glover roads near Military Rd) or in the parking area for the Maintenance Yard located at 5000 Glover Road NW." Metrobus C81 also goes there. We'll follow the Boulder Bridge Trail loop, which is described online as 3, 3.2 or 4 miles long depending on the source. Here's a description: [https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/boulder-bridge-hike.htm](https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/boulder-bridge-hike.htm) The hike is classified as easy, and it should take us 60-90 minutes to complete. I need to get back afterward for a meeting but some might want to have lunch together, TBD. Please include your cell number so we can be sure to meet up. Hope to see you! Please also join us for FFF>50 on the Mighty Networks platform, for even more in-person events (every member can easily create them), a walled playground for just us, and no pressure to pay or upgrade. [Join the national network (5000 women) here](https://community.fff50.org/share/dbWb9iJu5XwSN2TR?utm_source=manual) and then join our Washington DC area chapter, looking forward to seeing you there!

Please join us every week for power networking! Our Chapter Passed $1,666,736 USD in the past 12 months! BNI members, on average, increase their business 20% the first year. Our chapter is a dynamic, committed group of business people who know how to refer business to each other. Come for our meeting -- stay for the referrals!!! We have open categories for individuals who will bring enthusiasm and integrity to our meeting. Just one person per professional specialty is allowed in each chapter. Visit a meeting to find out more and lock out your competition! Register Here: https://bninovanorth.com/va-nova-north-bni-mclean-business-connection--n136/en-US/visitorregistration?chapterId=16988

Come out and celebrate the Christmas Holiday Season at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Regional Park in nearby Vienna, Virginia. Our two mile hike on asphalt and natural surface trails showcases flowers, shrubs, ponds, and a Korean Bell Garden that are decorated for the holidays. Bring a daypack, comfortable hiking shoes, cold weather clothing, trail snacks, and a quart of water. Price of admission: Adults under 60 $8 and over 60 $4. Although not connected directly to the Sierra Club PRO hike, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens offers the Winter Walk of Lights after dark. Reservations required at novaparks.com. Meet at 11AM at the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Regional Park off of Beulah Road in Vienna, Virginia. Leader: Glenn Gillis 571-217-4477

**When**: Tuesdays, 6:00-9:00 pm **Where**: Pyramid Atlantic's Helen Frederick Gallery (2nd Floor) Pyramid Atlantic Art Center\* 4318 Gallatin Street, Hyattsville, MD 20781 Convenient cheap parking in several nearby municipal parking lots including the lot near Franklins. Only 0.50cents/hour until 8pm; please enter through the rear doors. **What**: Each Tuesday session begins with five 5-minute warm-up poses. We then draw from a sustained pose for the remainder of the session. Please bring your own art materials, paper and portable easel (if needed). Chairs and drawing boards provided. **Cost**: $20/session or $75/5-session punch card Walk-ins and late arrivals welcome, no experience necessary! **Etc**.: Age 18+ **Contact**: Milena- hyattsvillefiguredrawing@gmail.com \*Membership to Pyramid Atlantic, though not required, is enthusiastically encouraged! [Pyramid Atlantic Membership](https://pyramidatlanticartcenter.org/support/membership/) *We are not looking for new figure models at this time, no inquiries please. Thank you.*

• What we'll do Learn how to take great pictures BEFORE you go on that expensive trip! And we will teach you how to use your camera IN THE FIELD, not in a classroom! Join our standard Monuments and Memorials workshop, offered Wednesdays and Saturdays, in which the instructor takes you to some of DC’s most popular attractions: White House, Lafayette Park, the Einstein, Lincoln, Korea, and Vietnam Three Servicemen Memorials, and finally to Union Station, where you learn to make all the moving people DISAPPEAR! Remember, it was Confucius who said: "I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do, and I understand." At Washington Photo Safari, we help you "do " and understand! That is why our motto is "See. Click. Learn." This $71 Safari (a 20% discount from the regular $89 price) begins with a 45-minute travel photography orientation, giving you basic tips in composition, F-stops and shutter speeds, portraiture, and interior photography. While you are taking pictures, you receive hands-on guidance on how to make those images even better! Advanced and smartphone photographers will appreciate the instructor’s extensive knowledge of the best camera angles in DC. This is suggested as a preliminary course before taking special safaris. Open to any photographers at any skill level with any camera, phone, or tablet. Transportation from site to site is provided by the instructor. • What to bring camera and all lenses • Important to know travel, architectural, portrait and street photography techniques

We will be holding the Monthly Poetry in the Garden meeting on January 4, 2026 in the Club House at Schrom Hills Park, 6915 Hanover Pkwy, Greenbelt MD from 3 - 5 PM. All are welcome to join us and there is no admission charge. Bring your favorite poem, your own poem or just come and listen and enjoy. We will have refreshments to help enjoy the mood.

**Our resolution for this year is, to party harder:) Come help us to do so!:)** Let us meet up for a language exchange. We will give out name tags. You write your name and what language you speak and what language you would like to exchange. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. ***AFTER THE EXCHANGE, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

**Our resolution for this year is, to party harder:) Come help us to do so!:)** Come exchange Asian Languages that you speak! ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU WILL BE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. We will assign tables for represented languages. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. As you all remember well, this event used to bring out hundreds of people every week. However, it was discontinued last year for obvious reasons and we couldn't gather that many people now, because of restrictions. Hence, we are downsizing and caping the number of attendees. We have super limited spots and advance ticket purchase is required. ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!*** HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. You ought to have register on Meetup for a free entry\. Otherwise\, you will be subject to a cover charge\. 11. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. 12.

Join us for a relaxed winter walk to enjoy DC’s holiday lights and seasonal atmosphere. We’ll start with a visit to the U.S. Botanic Garden, catching one of the final days of the holiday exhibit. From there, we’ll walk together to The Wharf to see more city lights and end the afternoon by the fire with s’mores and hot apple cider. Walk details Easy, mostly flat walk Approx. 1.8 miles total Dry but chilly weather expected — dress warmly and comfortably This is a social, low-key outing suitable for all walking levels. Please register using the link below so we can plan accordingly. https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UUN0000026mqP2AQ/act00018212

Hikers (and non) will continue a long tradition (since 1975) by gathering in Georgetown on January 1 to kick off a new year of hiking! Come join old and new friends in ushering in the New Year, while working off some of the holiday cheer that's starting to show. Leashed pets are also welcome. Photo albums of previous hikes: **[bit.ly/MWS-NYDH](https://bit.ly/MWS-NYDH)**. **THE HIKE:** We’ll walk 5.1 miles along the C&O Canal Towpath to the Little Falls Pump Station, and back. You can walk at your own pace and turn around sooner (or later) if you want to do less (or more) than 10.1 miles. A handout (to download or print) for the hike is posted [here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TQq9zJqpQUVFCVq0pzi_HQQYvE5GCSuD/view?usp=drive_link) and as a photo below. **LEADERS:** Frank Wodarczyk, Paul Elliot, Gabriele Ludwig, & Mike Darzi. **WHAT TO BRING:** Bring snacks or a bag lunch, and water. Dress warmly in layers and wear rain/snow gear or bring an umbrella if there is a chance of precipitation. Feel free to bring leftover holidays treats to share. **WHEN & WHERE:** We’ll meet at 10 am on the west side of Wisconsin Avenue, NW, south of M Street. There is a small plaza in front of the [Pinstripes Bistro](https://www.google.com/maps/dir//38.904376,-77.062848/@38.904049,-77.0642193,17.78z?hl=en) (1064 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC) that is next to and above the C&O Canal. If there is no crowd there, start one. Note that street parking is conveniently free on New Year’s Day. **LUNCH:** If you are so inclined, you may also join some of us for après-hike fare at [Pinstripes Bistro](https://pinstripes.com/georgetown/) (where we start and finish the hike) starting at 1:30-1:45 pm. **SIERRA CLUB** You may join the Sierra Club by clicking the "JOIN" button at the top of the Virginia Chapter’s [website](http://www.sierraclub.org/virginia). Membership is not required for participation.

Wild Ones: Annual Native Seed Swap January 10, 2026 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am Join Wild Ones Columbus for their annual native seeds swap. If you have native seeds to share, please label them with the Latin name and common name. The seeds don’t need to be removed from the seed head if you aren’t sure how to do it, but remove as much stem as possible. Bringing seeds is not required. Bring bags or envelopes to store seeds. Inniswood Metro Gardens 940 S. Hempstead Rd. Westerville, OH 43081 Phone (614)895-6216 This event will be held in the Greenhouse/Multipurpose Building located near the east end of the parking lot. Click here to see the Inniswood map. If you have native seeds to share, label each species with this information: * Botanical Name * Common Name Species we will accept: * Species native to our ecoregion (8.2.4) - Best * Species native to Ohio and surrounding states - Good * Straight species only - no cultivars. The seeds don’t need to be removed from the seed head if you aren’t sure how to do it, but don’t leave much stem on the seed heads. Please email the list of species to Mary May so we can prepare information for attendees. You can bring the seeds on the day of the swap, or we can arrange to have them picked up beforehand - just let her know in the email. If you don’t have any seeds to bring, no worries. If you are new to native plants or didn't have time to collect seeds, there are ALWAYS plenty from those that do bring them! We love to see "newbies" at our seed exchange! Also, remember to bring something to put seeds in such as envelopes, paper bags or containers.

Okay, you (at least some of you) asked for it — here it is... **"An Evening with DXO Labs (NIK Collection 8)"** For many, many years, the NIK Collection of photo editing tools has been the coveted add-on of choice for many photographers. To know the story of the NIK Collection is to know happiness, angst, celebration, and innovation. But more of that at the meeting! I will spend a couple of hours going through the most useful tools in the NIK Collection and showing how I use them in my editing workflow. If you aspire to elevate your editing skills and produce better-edited images, this set of tools is worth a look! Meeting Schedule: 1. 6:00 - Introduction, Meet New Members 2. 6:10 - Old Business 3. 6:20 - New Business 4. 6:30 - Pre-Shoot Briefing/Education 5. 7:15 - Break 6. 7:30 - Image Critique 7. 8:00 - Adjourn Pre-Shoot Brief/Education: NIK Collection 8 Image Critique: Previous Photoshoot Images (iPhone images and Christmas Cards). If anyone has images they would like critiqued, please provide them at the beginning of the meeting. Providing Images for Critique: For now, I will collect images at the beginning of the meeting on a USB memory stick. My computer has USB-C ports, so a USB-C memory stick or one with dual (USB-C / USB-A) ports will be needed. Images should follow these format rules: JPG - 80% quality or higher 132 dpi resolution 2048 pixels across the long edge Embedded colorspace - sRGB

First Sundays are free admission at Franklin Park Conservatory. Sunday, January 4th, is also the last day The Palm House will be open before renovations begin. Let’s meet, enjoy a respite from January weather, and wander the gardens. Free neanthe bella palms are available to guests, beginning at 10am, while supplies last. Afterwards, we can visit the nearby East Market (212 Kelton Avenue).

Start the new year with your local IxDA pals. Join members of the Central Ohio UX and design community for our monthly breakfast.

Come and join our lively Japanese language meetup, where Japanese language learners and native speakers come together to learn, play, and connect. We’ll practice through fun games and interactive conversation in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Whether you’re just starting out, more advanced, or a native speaker who enjoys helping others, everyone is encouraged to join and participate. After the library we'll take a leisurely walk together to get food/drinks. There are many options around including North Market Bridge Park. It's a perfect opportunity to continue our conversations and enjoy each other's company over a meal.

Step into 2026 with intention, clarity, and a creative practice designed to help you see yourself more clearly. In this special Confidence Lab session, we’ll explore confidence as something you can curate - through the choices you make, the qualities you amplify, and the story you choose to step into. We’ll start with a short guided reflection to surface the traits, habits, and energies you want to nurture in the coming year. Then, using collage materials selected specifically for this workshop, you’ll translate those insights into a visual composition that represents the version of yourself you’re ready to grow toward. This isn’t about resolutions or perfection. It’s about crafting a grounded, imaginative vision of your next chapter - one that feels honest, energizing, and fully yours. All materials are provided. Just bring yourself (and a friend) and a willingness to explore what confidence can look like for you in 2026. **Featured Partner: Columbus Collage Collective** The Columbus Collage Collective was started in August of 2023 by Emily Morgan (aka Lovely But Dead) and Douglas Cuckler (aka Wonder Doug) as a place for collage enthusiasts to gather and create art together. The collective has since become a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to hold free or low-cost collage events across central Ohio. The CCC welcomes all artists of all backgrounds and skill levels and encourages folks to take this time to step away from everyday existence and create art with people who share a love for this dynamic art form. All materials—magazines, scissors, craft knives, glue, paper, cardboard, and more—are provided, so there's no need to bring anything at all (though you're welcome to bring a friend or a favorite tool if you'd like!). We also encourage folks to take home magazines and materials from our events to support continued creativity! Find us on Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/columbuscollagecollective/](https://www.instagram.com/columbuscollagecollective/) Register or sign up for the newsletter at [https://www.columbuscollagecollective.com/](https://www.columbuscollagecollective.com/) **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*